Like Halloween, vampire automatic deductions can creep in leaving you aghast at the amount of monies draining your account. October is a great time to review these charges and determine if they still serve you.
As investors we continuously worry about excess expenses. Reflection on these usually happens when we are pulling our taxes together to meet that final extension on October 15. Don’t tell me that you get yours filed early. Entrepreneurs delay, avoiding the overwhelming task of entering data and managing the mountain of receipts.
While they are deductions that reduce what you pay uncle Sam, are they producing fruit for your business? Tax time can be a painful reflection of the year, but it doesn’t have to be.
Start now reviewing all the automatic deductions that have crept into your world and decide if you should, or even want to keep them. If you are not sure where to look, start by reviewing bank and credit card statements. Make a spreadsheet list of each automatic deduction and pertinent contact information.
Next, review each of the charges and determine their purpose and return. Occasionally you might be doing the same process with two different vendors. For example, I had a platform called Hootsuite that I could use to manage postings to Facebook, Linked in and my website. I also had a platform called Outbound Engine that wrote articles and posted them to the same locations. I was paying for both. I had good intentions with Hootsuite but never stopped to learn it or put it into process thereby wasting money.
Other examples could be unused Netflix accounts or cable bills. All these services are so easy to add and easier to forget about.
Once you have determined the ones you are ready to discontinue start immediately. Document the date you discontinued and double check your statements to make sure they are stopped.
Rewards are beneficial to your growth. Plan what you will do with that money. Three areas you can choose are paying off another debt, putting the funds aside to build your cash reserves or building your safety net (90 days of expenses). Set up an automatic direct so that you are telling your money where to go. Immediately calendar your October appointment with yourself to make this review your habit.
Once you have this in place set aside a few minutes to journal your success. Make a date and take yourself to dinner somewhere special. Just like doing your taxes, you are always relieved and a little elated when you are finished. This simple review is no different. You are doing something that most businesspeople simply won’t take the time. You have just joined the league of successful entrepreneurs.
